Chapter Three
Paige looked across the street at the familiar building again, and forced another deep breath to calm her nerves. She’d been sitting outside Mason’s house for nearly ten minutes, and though she wasn’t directly below a streetlamp, she was starting to feel like an idiot.
If Mason were home, and he’d happened to look out the window, then he’d already seen her sitting outside his house, basically stalking him like a love-sick fool.
Luckily, she didn’t think he was home, but his possible absence was another reason she hesitated to leave the confines of her car. Other than a dim light glowing through the front window, the house was dark, and his truck wasn’t in the driveway. After finally getting up the nerve to return to his home, it looked as though she’d wasted the trip, and her confidence faltered.
I should have never left him!
God, she was such an idiot!
It had been four days since their incredible night together, three days since she’d snuck out of his home, and exactly five minutes less than that to realize she’d made a huge mistake.
The shrill ringing of Mason’s phone had been their alarm early Monday morning, and when he’d taken the call—seemingly from work—into another room, she’d gotten dressed, scribbled the words thank you on a notepad by the phone, and fled as quickly and quietly as possible.
At the time, running had seemed like a good idea.
Though their night together had been like nothing she’d ever experienced before, fear kept her from hanging around for the inevitable morning after speech. After the way he’d worshiped her body the night before, she couldn’t handle his rejection, and so she’d decided to run. The note had been a stupid, niggling desire to say…something…but afterward, after it was too late, she’d just felt dumb. Besides the fact that he probably had a whole drawer full of notes, or trinkets, or who knows what from his conquests, only a loser would leave a note behind after a one-night-stand.
Except…it didn’t feel like a one-night-stand.
Mason was dangerous, there was no denying that fact, but he was also incredibly sweet, and she felt connected to him in a way she didn’t totally understand. When he’d invited her to his house for ice cream, she’d suspected he’d really just wanted a booty call, and she’d been all for it. Hell, who would deny him…even if he was covered in blood?
Rational people. Normal people. Hell, you, if you weren’t so drawn to him…
And those thoughts had plagued her all week.
She’d followed Mason to his house without fear or doubt, despite his rough, savage, and downright lethal looking exterior. She’d been willing to sleep with him, without really knowing anything about him personally, including his last name, and knowing he hadn’t been completely honest about his job. During the moments when he’d seemed to only want friendship, her disappointment had been palpable, and nearly suffocating.
She’d had casual sex before—not often—but, she wasn’t clueless when it came to meaningless sex. What she’d shared with Mason, though, even before he’d touched her, didn’t feel meaningless. Her feelings toward him weren’t normal, under any circumstances, and they’d fueled her almost desperate, early morning escape. She’d wanted to get away before she did, or said, something incredibly stupid.
After the five-minute drive across town, however, she’d begun to question her decision, and three days later, the uncertainty hadn’t gone away.
She liked him, plain and simple, and she desperately wanted to see him again.
To make things worse, she really had no idea how Mason truly felt. They hadn’t exchanged last names, or numbers, and he didn’t know where she lived or worked. That meant he had no way of contacting her, even if he wanted to. If she wanted to know how he felt, then she had to be the one to make the first move.
After another frozen dinner alone, Paige remembered about Becca and Logan’s engagement party scheduled for the following night, and her feelings of hopelessness returned. A few nights ago, she’d stood alone in the ice cream aisle, worried she’d never meet anyone, and then Mason had appeared. That final thought caused her to spring into action.
The night of the party, Friday night, would be out of the question to show up unannounced, even if she didn’t already have plans, and going to his house on a Saturday, even in the afternoon, felt desperate, too. There was also no way she was waiting three more days to possibly see him on an “acceptable” night, so it had to be tonight.
She changed out of her pajamas, brushed her teeth just in case, and used the GPS on her phone to navigate her car back to Mason’s house.
Driving to his house was one thing, but getting out and knocking on the door took a whole new kind of courage. One that she was apparently in short supply of, which had led to her current situation.
What if he wasn’t alone? What if he was eating ice cream with someone else? Fucking someone else? What if he didn’t remember her? What if she’d been a terrible fuck, and he’d been glad to be rid of her? What if…
Shit!!
Paige hastily opened the car door, and forced herself to get out of the vehicle. She had to know how he felt, and sitting in a dark car across the street from his house wouldn’t get her answers. If he didn’t want to see her, then at least she would know, and she could go back home, put back on her pajamas, and lick her wounds in private.
She walked across the street, stood on his darkened doorstep, and rang the doorbell. Nerves, fear and anticipation dried her throat, and nearly suffocated her, but she waited until it was obvious he either wasn’t home, or wasn’t going to answer the door, before giving up.
When she turned to leave, headlights flashed over her as a truck pulled into the driveway, and a few seconds later, Mason stood in front her covered in blood again.
This time the blood was his.
***
Mason glanced at the blood-soaked cloth wrapped around his arm, and sighed. A few seconds later, the red stoplight turned green, and he drove home by rote.
While he was used to protecting the pack from incidents on a regular basis, he’d stupidly thought his job would be easier after the new deal created between his alpha and the panther leader. Instead, with only days left until Logan and Becca’s engagement party, it seemed all hell was breaking loose.
Logan wasn’t the alpha of his clan, but he was the Lead Enforcer, which meant he was in charge of clan security. He also owned a very successful security firm in town, and most of the enforcers, including himself, divided their work hours between working for the clan, and working for Logan. It made sense since the lines between clan security and private jobs often blurred.
This week, though, had been the week from hell, and it had started very early Monday morning.
When he’d met Paige, he’d immediately wanted her, but actually sinking into her sweet warmth, and then spending the night holding her in his arms, had been the most amazing night of his life. The next morning, however, everything changed.
The annoying sound of his phone ringing had jolted them awake, and when he’d seen Logan’s name on the screen of his cell, he’d known he had to take the call. Of course, it couldn’t have been anything easy, and he’d left the room for two reasons. One, to talk to Logan in private, and two, to give Paige the opportunity to fall back asleep. If he had to leave her, he wanted to wake her with kisses and give her a proper goodbye first.
The thought of her leaving without a word hadn’t even crossed his mind. If it had, he wouldn’t have left her alone for anything, no matter how much privacy was needed.
Her leaving without a word wasn’t completely accurate, though. She’d left him two words.
His bear growled beneath the surface as he remembered the note she’d left him, and his fingers gripped the steering wheel so hard, he heard the plastic creak under the pressure.
Thank you.
She’d thanked him for loving her, and the gesture still sparked fury with both the man and the bear. How could she have left him so easily, and what had provoked her to thank him? If anything, he should be thanking her, not the other way around.
Except, he didn’t want her thanks. He wanted her love.
Her secret escape had initially been a blow to his ego, but the insecurity had only lasted for a brief moment. She was his mate, the one woman made just for him, and while there was no guarantee of a mating bond, especially with a human, she’d liked him.
If she hadn’t, if she didn’t feel something for him, she would have left him standing in the ice cream aisle, staring at his reflection in the freezer door. She would have never followed him home, never allowed his kiss, and never begged him to fuck her.
He briefly remembered the vulnerability she’d let surface when he’d asked about her matching lingerie, but it was only a small, nearly undefinable moment in their night together, and he didn’t think it had been the driving force behind her actions. At least not the action of sleeping with him. Leaving, however...
Honestly, he had no idea what her reasons were. Anything could have caused her retreat, and instead of guessing, he needed to hear the reasons directly from her. He’d immediately made a plan to hunt her down, get answers, and then somehow convince her to never leave him again.
After he told her about his job…and his bear.
He had no idea how it all would go down, but he didn’t care. She was his mate, and he wasn’t letting her go without a fight.
Unfortunately, fate had other plans.
After solving the initial call from Logan, he’d used his resources to track her down, and then took an hour off to stock up on ice cream and other necessities, and visit his cabin. He knew how much she loved the sweet treat, and he wasn’t above bribery. Mostly, though, he just wanted to make her happy.
That hour, however, had been his only freedom in the otherwise hectic week. After he’d returned from the mini-break, he’d been hit hard with one clan problem after another. With the party date only days away, and everything going wrong, he’d planned on giving up perusing her until after the big event. He glanced at his arm again, and decided that had been a good choice. The last thing he needed was Paige seeing him covered in blood again.
His bear grunted beneath the surface, reminding him that though the animal hadn’t put up a fight, his primal side didn’t necessarily agree with the human. The bear wanted his mate, pure and simple. Luckily, his human side was mostly in charge.
Mason turned the vehicle onto his street, and immediately relaxed. The quiet stretch of road leading to his home always soothed him, and he knew he’d made the right decision regarding Paige. He missed her, but he could wait another day and a half to track her down.
He pulled into his driveway, and when his headlights flashed over her curvy form, the elation he felt at seeing her exposed the lie he’d just told himself.
She’d come to him, something he’d never contemplated, and his bear roared in triumph as he rushed out of the truck to meet her on the path.
“You’re here,” he stated, dumbly.
Her thick, wavy hair looked mussed, like it had after he’d fucked her, and even though her dark eyes watched him warily, his cock swelled. She was so beautiful.
“Yes,” she whispered. “Is that okay?”
“It’s more than okay,” he said, leaning down to place a chaste kiss on her lips. It was just a quick peck, but both he and his animal needed the small connection.
Paige placed a gentle hand on his chest, but she didn’t push him away, and for that he was grateful.
“Mason,” she whispered, worry lacing her words. “Your arm, your…that’s a lot of blood. You need to go to the hospital.”
He glanced down at his wrapped arm again, and then did a quick inventory of his other cuts and bruises. His face and abs were sore from taking blows with the other guy’s fists, but the other gashes on his body had already started to heal.
“It’s not that bad, baby girl,” he said, shaking his head. “Trust me. I heal really fast. I just need a shower and some rest, and I’ll be as good as new. Will you stay with me?”
She looked like she was going to argue, but after exhaling an exaggerated sigh, she silently nodded her agreement, and followed him into the house.
“I’m glad you’re here,” he said, kissing her again once they were inside his place. “Promise you won’t disappear again while I’m in the shower?”
“I promise.”
He had no choice but to believe her.
“Make yourself at home,” he said. “I’ll be back soon.”
For the second time in a week, he left his mate waiting in his living room while he showered alone, and washed away the dirt and blood from his job.
***
Paige opened her eyes, and slowly raised her head off of Mason’s chest. When he didn’t stir, she used the early, quiet moment to study him unabashed.
God, he was gorgeous.
His short black hair stuck out in several directions, but instead of looking goofy, like it would on most guys, the un-styled mess made him look even sexier. He’d towel dried the short locks the night before, and when he’d walked back into the room, she’d longed to run her fingers through the damp little spikes. Hell, maybe she just liked his hair.
No, you just like him.
The honest thought made her smile as she listened to his deep, even breathing.
When he’d walked up to her on his porch the night before, fear had assaulted her when she’d noticed the blood-soaked cloth wrapped around his arm. That amount of fluid didn’t come from a “small” anything, and the fact that he’d wrapped it and not the other marks on his skin, proved how deep it had been. She’d wanted to fight with him about going to the hospital, but something had held her back, so she’d reluctantly let it go.
After his shower, he’d placed a real bandage on the wound, and hardly any discharge had shone through the gauze. Even now, hours later, it looked as if he hadn’t lost another drop of blood to any of his wounds.
She squinted, and tried to find the small cut on his face. She remembered it had been somewhere high on his cheekbone, near his eye, but she couldn’t see a scar…or anything for that matter. It was as if he’d never been touched.
I guess he really does heal fast.
She knew it wasn’t possible, and yet, there was no other explanation. The cut just must have been smaller than she’d originally thought, and she probably couldn’t see any marks on him because of the early morning light. That being the case, it was probably a good thing she hadn’t pushed the hospital issue.
Still…that bandage on his arm had been nearly soaked.
She leaned around him to get a better look at the bandage on his other side, and his good arm tightened around her.
“Trying to escape again, baby girl?”
“Not at all,” she said, kissing his chin, “but I do have to go home. I have to work today.”
He growled low in his chest, and tightened both arms around her.
Paige laughed at his reaction. She couldn’t help it. She loved the possessive sounding growls he made, and his words made her feel owned by him…which didn’t bother her at all. In fact, she liked being with him—probably more than she should—and she didn’t want to leave.
After he’d emerged from the shower the night before, he’d sat next to her on the couch, and pulled her to his side. This time, she didn’t hesitate to touch him, and she’d molded against him like they’d been partners for years. Mason had put on a movie they’d both seen before, and within minutes, his steady, even breath lulled her to sleep as well. Aside from a few chaste kisses, they hadn’t done anything physical, and she reveled in the knowledge that they could just be together without being intimate.
Of course, he’d been injured and tired from work, but she didn’t think that would have stopped him if he’d only wanted sex, and the realization of those thoughts bolstered her confidence. She’d definitely made the right choice by coming back to him.
“I’m working tonight,” he said, “but do you want to have dinner with me tomorrow?”
“Dinner sounds great,” she smiled.
He sealed the deal with a kiss so hot she contemplated calling in sick, but the shrill of his ringing phone broke the spell, and brought her back to reality.
Surprisingly, Mason ignored the call, and after typing out a quick text message, he returned his attention back to her.
“It’s going to be a long day,” he groaned, smiling at her.
“Does your phone always ring so early?”
“No,” he said, shaking his head. “I usually work a lot of hours, but the past two weeks have been extreme. I can’t wait for things to get back to normal.”
“When will that be?”
“Hopefully soon,” he smiled.
“That’s good,” she said. “I’m looking forward to dinner tomorrow, but let’s exchange numbers just in case.”
“Good idea,” he agreed as they both reached for their phones.
He rattled off his phone number, and she sent him a text, and then created a new contact. He did the same after he received her text.
“What’s your last name?” She asked.
“Mason is my last name,” he said, casually. “I don’t use my first.”
“Oh.”
When he didn’t offer any more information, or ask her for more details, disappointment flooded her, and she closed the list of contacts.
Maybe she was reading more into their connection than was actually there, and last night had just been a fluke. Or a case of her being in the right place at the right time. Maybe he hadn’t turned her away because he’d been injured and wanted some TLC from anyone, and she’d been readily available. She didn’t know, and now she wasn’t even sure she would ever hear from him again.
Shit!
It was time to leave and get back to the real world. She rose from the couch, and grabbed her purse off the coffee table.
“Thank you for letting me stay.” She walked toward the door, refusing to look back at him. “This was nice.”
Her fingers gripped the knob, but before she could turn the metal, Mason’s hand reached out from behind her, and flattened against the wood.
Holy hell!
Not only had he moved without a sound, but she hadn’t even felt or sensed his presence. Again. The same thing had happened in the grocery store the night they’d met. How had he gotten behind her so fast?
His free hand landed on her hip, and then snaked around to her stomach before he pulled her back against his hard flesh…and he was hard everywhere. His stiff cock pressed against her soft ass, and her pussy tingled, desperate to be filled by him.
“Paige Gentry.”
He whispered the words, and brushed his lips over the soft shell of her ear. Liquid heat soaked her panties, and she could barely form a coherent thought, but she knew he hadn’t asked for her last name.
“How…?”
She trailed off as he peppered tiny kisses along her neck and shoulder.
“I have a lot of resources available to me because of my job. I’d tracked you down on Monday, but because of the craziness of this week, I had planned on waiting until tomorrow to ambush you. I don’t plan on letting you go, baby girl.”
“Okay…”
More liquid heat gushed from her core, and she ground her ass against his cock.
She could feel him smile against her skin.
“Now it’s really going to be a long day. I can’t wait to sink into your perfect pussy again.”
“Mason…”
She looked at him over her shoulder, and he pressed a hard kiss on her mouth. When she swiped her tongue against his lips, he tightened his fingers on her abdomen, and thrust his tongue inside her mouth. The kiss was hot and hard, and it mimicked what she wanted him to do to her pussy. Suddenly, Mason broke the kiss and stepped away, and a small whimper escaped before she could stop the sound.
“I know, baby girl,” he said, placing his palm on her cheek. “I don’t want to let you go either, but we both have to go to work today. Tomorrow, though,” he emphasized the words with a chaste kiss on her lips. “Tomorrow, you’re mine.”